Arizona’s top National Guard officer on Friday released a package of reforms and training protocols designed to improve discipline and combat corruption documented by a Pentagon agency’s investigation.

At the direction of Gov. Jan Brewer, Maj. Gen. Hugo Salazar announced more than two dozen new initiatives that he described as “catalysts for broad, systemic program change.”

The reforms were drafted in response to recommendations made by the National Guard Bureau, a national umbrella agency for state military organizations. Earlier this month, bureau investigators released a 107-page report that said Arizona’s Guard suffers from unethical leadership, lax discipline, rogue conduct and a failure to protect abuse victims.

Those conclusions mirrored findings in an Arizona Republic series last fall that focused on sexual harassment, fraud, fraternization and other wrongdoing.

In a letter to Brewer, Salazar said the Guard remains “prepared, equipped, manned and ready to respond to local, state or federal missions” but is making changes “to remedy the (problem) areas identified in the NGB report.”

“A key priority of effort for the organization targets the serious issues of sexual harassment and sexual assault,” he added.

The Arizona Army and Air Guard serve under Salazar, who reports to Brewer as commander in chief. The organization has about 8,000 personnel.

Wrongdoing prevailed among the 1,400 soldiers and airmen who work full time. The remainder serve one weekend per month.

Among the new programs and procedures, some of which already have been implemented:

Mandatory reporting of alleged misconduct by leadership personnel.

Revisions of the Arizona Code of Military Justice and court-martial policies to enable appropriate disciplinary actions.

Regular personnel surveys on integrity, leadership and morale issues.

Development of a tracking system for investigations of misconduct.

Enhanced training and response to sexual harassment and abuse.

Creation of a provost marshal to coordinate with civilian law enforcement.

Brewer did not immediately comment on the action plan.

Salazar, who has announced that he will retire as adjutant general later this year, described the reforms as “deliberate steps to demonstrate our commitment to corrective action.”

The Republic began investigating National Guard culture last year at the request of numerous soldiers and airmen who complained of cronyism, fraternization and failed leadership.

Using military records, The Republic documented illicit relations with teenage recruits, paintball attacks on homeless people, fraudulent expenses, sexual harassment, drug dealing, drunken driving and other crimes. Personnel who committed offenses in many instances were not held accountable, while victims and whistle-blowers became targets for reprisal.

National Guard Bureau investigators, led by Maj. Gen. Ricky Adams, found that misconduct by command officers, especially sexual fraternization, sabotaged respect and discipline. They said that serious wrongdoing went unpunished and that those who complained of abuse were “victimized twice: once by the perpetrator and once by the leadership that was unable to address their needs.”

Brewer reacted to those findings by declaring that Arizona’s National Guard is “not broken.” She said she would rely on Salazar’s “steady hand and wise counsel” to address shortcomings identified in the report.

Rep. Debbie McCune Davis, D-Phoenix, on Friday renewed her call for public hearings in the Arizona Legislature and said the action plan fails to address overarching command-ethics issues.

She also complained that it lacks a system whereby Guard personnel can file complaints directly with the Governor’s Office for independent review.

“I think the fundamental problem in the Guard is the lack of leadership at the top,” McCune Davis said. “Who actually will implement this plan, and do they have a reputation for ethical behavior as an example? ... The governor has to be vigilant in selecting somebody with the highest standards.”

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